by
BGLH
Singer Justine Skye took to her Instagram account to address those who challenge her choice to identify solely as Jamaican and not American, despite being born here.
I noticed some people getting upset that I say I’m Jamaican although I was born in America.. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone.. but I’ve grown up all my life, coming to Jamaica multiple times a year, visiting my Jamaican family with my Jamaican parents and grandparents, in a Jamaican house hold.
that’s the problem, everyone is so busy trying to tell everyone else who they are.. when they don’t even know what they’re talking about let alone know themselves.Â
Hispanic kids not born in DR or PR aren’t Dominican or Puerto Rican? Asian kids born in America aren’t Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc?Â
America is a melting pot, filled with people of all colors, shapes and sizes from different places in the world. different cultures.. who are you to tell someone where they come from?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BH-IS63hJra/
Justine has a point. Many bi-cultural Americans identify solely with their non-US ethnicity (Dominican, Puerto Rican, Nigerian), and this could be for a variety of reasons — family influence, a stronger feeling of identification, feeling rejected within American culture. On the other hand, ‘othering’ in black culture is nothing new. Also it is disingenuous, on some level, to exist in, benefit from and be influenced by American culture without acknowledging it in any way. If we’re being 100% real, it’s not like Justine launched her singing career in Jamaica. It’s here in the United States.
Does identifying strongly with a home culture always boil down to othering? And do we allow for enough diversity *within* the black experience in America? What are your thoughts?
52 Responses
Let’s remember that CITIZENSHIP is acquired by birth or naturalization. CULTURE is also acquired by birth but also heritage & tradition. It all depends on how deeply one delves into other people’s traditions & customs. If for example all whites assimilated to the indigenous culture of the original tribes of North America you’d have some bonafide white American’s but as it stands what you clearly have in America is an extension of Europe with every ethnic class conforming to the English standard, customs & traditions & this only changes when other ethnicities refuse to conform or assimilate to the ruling class much like Cuban’s in Miami or the Chinese in Chinatown…… by the way Jamaican’s are a very dominant ethnic group much like Italian’s so it’s no wonder Justine claims her ethnicity with such vigour.
Both of my parents are west indian, but I was born and raised in America. I classify as West Indian American because that is who I am. In fact, my entire family is from the West Indies. People tend to stereotype based on appearances. If someone looks Puerto Rican, Asian, Indian…they are automatically classified as such without insight to where they were born and true ethnicity. I was raised like Justine so I understand her struggle. I am not trying to deny being a Black American, but I will never deny my West Indian roots…ever.
“‘And another thing, her music is lacking in the Jamaican cultural influence that she’s so proud to be associated wit, so her need to identify as other, while doing the exact same r&b/pop/hiphop’ ….are you remotely aware of how many genres of music Jamaica/Jamaicans have created and/or influenced? Let’s see – hip hop, EDM, dubstep, grime to name a few.”–That maybe so, but that still doesn’t change the fact that her primary genre of music is American, not Jamaican. American music has influenced many other musical genres around the world as well, including the carribbean, but those other musical genres aren’t considered American still.
“So this idea that she should stick to whatever ‘Jamaican cultural influence’ your refering to is irrelevant”–I’m confused, my argument isn’t about what she should stick to (sorry if you thought so), but her music could come from Mars or Uranus for all I care. My argument is that, repping hard her (parentage’s) Jamaican ancestry while profiting off American music will read as inauthentic to some people. It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t relate to her American side at all, but SAYING THIS while marketing yourself to Americans and doing Amercian music might be seen as opportunistic. We have a name for these types of people–culture vultures. And Although she may not neccessarily fit this profile exactly, but she’s leaving an opening for this to be questioned. Now this factor maybe “irrelevant” to you and/or her fans, but for others and potential fans, it may turn them off.
“She clearly relates more to her Jamaican heritage than you relate to your Caribbean heritage.”– It doesn’t matter what I relate to. I’m just telling you that what she culturally relates to vs the music she profits off, maybe problematic. But if she can sell and make bank with this–I’m American, but only relate to being Jamaican culturally, except when it comes to making music and money, more power to her. At the end of day, making American money is all that matters.
I’m a black American and have no issues with this. But as someone that spent several years living around west indians and africans in London (including living in Jamaica) I have a more holistic view.
1- Americans are the ones passionate about hyphenating. Once you step outside of the US, Britain (fill in the blank), no one cares about where your parents or ancestors came from. They view you by your birth country or wherever you grew up. But it’s important to consider the next point.
2- People from developing countries tend to view living in the West as a sign of success. The second generationers that grow up here can use it to their advantage when they go back “home”. And truth be told– some people are just flat out show off. Could not tell you how many times i came across people like the young lady in this article when I was abroad making every attempt to out “black american” me! Even those that have only been in the US for a couple of years or even months. And it was a running joke when I lived in England about Nigerians that would come for one month and pick up a British accent.
So I say to those worried, stop worrying about it. Find issues worth focusing on. Some of these people are not what they seem. Many second generationers haven’t even lived in their parent’s birth country and at most, only been there as a tourist. For many, it’s just a novelty to hyphenate, just like it is for black Americans.
Ok so, lets flip the script for a second a take a look at Black Americans who call themselves “African Americans”?? Most Black Americans who identify as “African” American have 0 direct connection to any African country or their customs, in fact, they don’t eat African food in the morning, and they don’t have any direct family members they can trace to the Continent. In fact, if you ask many which countries in Africa their family hails from, they probably couldn’t tell you. 9/10 this is fact. Yet, somehow still refer to themselves as African… how does that even make sense?
Meanwhile, Jamaicans or Jamericans (as I refer to myself) grew up eating differently, speaking differently, visiting our motherland to see our aunts/uncles/grandparents and sometimes even sisters… are ridiculed by “African Americans” for calling ourselves what we are culturally, spiritually, and familiarly are.. which is Jamaican.
This seems to only be a problem with amongst other black people. If an American person who was raised under a Cuban household, nobody bats an eye when he says he’s Cuban. When a Black Caribbean person does the same…everyone loses their minds. Its a strange world we live in.
Sis there are many AAs who have visited Africa and even settled there. No way is the Caribbean the Motherland don’t forget our Ancestors were taken to the Islands by force and were brainwashed by Europeans to see Europe as the Motherland. Black people didn’t name the Islands, the names we carry belong to foreigners, some of us still worship the British monarchy. I wish our people would indulge in reading our history more and not the one Europeans gave us we might understand the divisions we create amongst ourselves.
Honestly, I don’t care how many times AAs or anyone else have visited Africa. If you do not share the same cultural framework as Africans then you’re not African. If we go back far enough everyone is from Africa.
Regardless of where the settlement began, we on the islands, have a very unique culture specific to our region just like every other region has a culture of their own. If you grew up eating collard greens, mashed potatoes and chitlins and you don’t eat Fufu, jollof rice and red sauce… how can you call yourself African? Makes 0 sense. You belong to a new culture now. the Black American Culture or whatever term you want to use.
Nothing wrong with that. But an appreciation for ancestral roots is not the same as cultural identity.
For example. Just because my great grandmother and father was Syrian and Israeli… Does not mean the I am Syrian and Israeli. It’s apart of my ancestry and I appreciate that. But I was born and bred within Jamaican culture. That’s what I am…
and If I walked around saying I’m Israeli.. people would look at me like I’m foolish. And on that regard, I’d have to agree with them.
“However it always boggles my mind when Americans equate blackness with being African American. ”
Haha, this reminds me of a guy I used to work with, but in reverse 😛 He was black, and always would talk about how this or that was so offensive cos of the history of slavery of his people… then one day we found out his family immigrated here (Canada) from North Africa (I think it was Djibouti?) and none of them had ever set foot in the US, much less been enslaved by anyone. It was so bizarre.
Eh, I don’t think it’s a big deal. It really isn’t uncommon for someone to identify strongly with the culture of their heritage, even if they were born elsewhere – and it’s not uncommon for people to not identify at all with the place they were born and raised in. No biggie.
You’re ignorant and wrong many people are referring to The Americas not just the United States of America when they say African American
Naomi Campbell is a jamaican brit so not sure why you even brought her up smh that’s a false equivalency. My dad is a rasta from Dwaney park and my mom is from St Andrew and I’ll be darned if you would be uppity Jamaicans copying the stuck up traditions of the people who enslaved you are going to tell me different! Smh this is exactly why the black race can’t get any where because people like you trying to distinguish yourselves from other blacks not knowing that to non black Americans we are all the same!!!
I think you mean’t to tag Danny and not me since I did not mention anything about Naomi Campbell. Further I am not Jamaican, nor do I have any Jamaican roots and I have never lived in the States. I am a born and bred Caribbean person who actually lives and works in my country of birth. Hence the reason why I believe that I was tagged by mistake.
However since I was tagged I will respond by saying this. People act like if black people are the only ones that are not united when low and behold when you look at the rest of the world you realize that “we are not alone”. Skin colour cannot unite a people. If that was the case then there would have never been internal wars in Europe, Asia, Africa or the Middle East. What unites a people is the mindset of the people. I think there is a bible verse that says “can two walk together, except they be agreed”. Some of us can’t even get along with our own family members or neighbours because they think differently from us yet we expect persons who grew up in a completely different culture and mindset to just magically get along simply because our ancestors were all enslaved from Africa. We need to wake up and be real!
Finally who cares what other people think? Some American’s think that all Asians are Chinese or that all Hispanics are Mexican does that mean its correct? As I mentioned in my post before people will gravitate to who they feel comfortable around and who they can identify with. Its as simple as that. You can either take it or leave it.
That may be how YOU define yourself. And that’s fine. So I’ll tell you what: Define yourself by your own terms. West Indians have the right to culturally identify with it if they want! If they erase their West Indian heritage, what do they have left?
Why should they erase their food, dialect, and culture just bc they set foot in the US?
In a land where black people have had their african culture virtually erased, I am thankful to still maintain some link to Africa through mine.
Live how you want to live, boo! Good luck you!
Why is this such a problem. I live in England and it’s common for those who have parents from the Caribbean, Africa, Asia other parts of Europe to acknowledge and identify with their parents birth place because culture or race may be stronger than nationality.
Yes, but truth be told, when those British-born go back to their parent’s birth country, they’re viewed as British. And in actuality, they are!
I understand the conundrum and dynamics. When you’re in England, you’re never English, only British. You also have to deal with racism. But because you grew up in the UK–you act British, talk British, think British and walk British. Definitely stand out when you go back “home”.
Me personally, I would never consider myself English (they are white skinned) not even British. There are many Black people who have parents from the Caribbean, especially those my age who are far from the descriptions you give. They speak patois, the only time we might not is at the work place, eat the same food we ate growing up and I’m not saying that the British lifestyle hasn’t had any influence over the way we behave or do things but you can tell us apart. We’ve actually developed a street culture rooted in our Caribbean background which White and Asian people have latched onto and emulated. We definately bring a lot of flavour and colour to British culture because the bottom line is that it’s bland. I know people while visiting the Caribbean have had to switch their attitude because you can get handled a certain way by the residents. It’s disheartening to see Black people still putting the ex masters on a pedestal and treating them better than they do someone who looks like them.
Don’t understand why so many black Americans struggle. As a black American, you’re only identity is “Black American” because that is the only culture you know and can’t trace your customs to one specific area outside of America. Just as a commenter below said, being from the south and eating collard greens is not the definition of blackness. Black cultures existed LONG before the United States of America and continue to exist outside of the US. Black is a race, not an ethnicity. It is a color, not a culture. She says she is Jamaican because SHE IS JAMAICAN! Born and raised in the USA as the child of Nigerian immigrants, I would never identify as just American or just black because I am ethnically Nigerian and grew up in a Nigerian household with Nigeriam customs. That makes my upbringing different from Black Americans so it doesn’t make sense to lump myself into a “just black” category.
To all the Black Americans who believe that simply stating your culture is a sign of some superiority complex or othering, perhaps you have an inferiority complex if you can’t appreciate your own American culture and respect that America is not the center of the Black universe.
Well, bloop!
I disagree. There is a black American culture that many people identify with. Aren’t there different ethnic groups in Nigeria? Same goes for America
I don’t think that’s what she meant… When people talk about “Black culture”, they often mean “Black American” culture, which is its own culture to be sure. But the cultures of the Caribbean, of various parts of Africa, etc. will all be different from that. She’s saying that when you have close ties to a culture outside of “Black American”, it makes sense that you could identify with that culture, maybe even more than with Black American culture, even if you were born & raised in the US.
YESSSS, this is exactly what I’ve spent years trying to explain to people. Anyone who has an issue with this type of thing must have an inferiority complex. And it’s funny because most people who refer to themselves as “African American” have never been to Africa, nor do they practice African customs, nor have any direct African upbringing. Funny how that double standard works.
‘…America is not the center of the Black universe.’ THANK YOU!
Why do people have a problem with her only identifying with her Jamaican side? After all, Mexicans refer to themselves as Mexicans, and Indians refer to themselves as Indian.
My point exactly. I’m Black and American, my husband, Jamaican. Our daughter sees herself as BLACK American. We share, celebrate, and embrace both cultures. We recognize the African roots deeply embedded in both. We are well aware that together and as a race we are a Black family.
Well, I believe black people should be free to identify as they want. We are not a monolithic group of people. I just get so annoyed when other black people try and put us in a box. No…let us be free. We know who we are. I identify as Black..clearly based on the color of my skin… However, if you ask me about who I am…I claim MY cultural background which is bigger than being Black in the eyes of White or Black Americans.
My point exactly!
I don’t know why its a problem for her to say she is jamaican. That’s what she is. Jamaicans (who are black ) know they are black. I remember being told I’m not black and I’m not american all the time. (I grew up both in nyc and jamaica) from black americans. how many of yall grew up in nyc when ppl find out you have immigrant parents and all of a sudden you are not black? I’m saying this not to pass judgment, but to understand that when you are black in this country it is usually for african Americans. (Think about) its not just blacks in america whites do it to. You have whites in america from immigrant parents and they call themselves what ever their parents are. But they are still white. They don’t get told your american. (Even though they are born here.) And blacks who are here for generation’s are black americans. Blacks been in america waay before slavery, yet you can’t be called black americans? Why not? (Think about it) whites who come from other countries get called European and whites here get called white Americans. Blacks here are called african american? Blacks who are generation’s here should be called black americans. They contribute to this country awhole lot. They build this country as well. Why can’t they get called black americans? And technically african americans are africans born here to african parents. Blacks get put in one lump some all the time. Black ppl have different cultures and backgrounds.
I hear your point, but you also generalized a great deal. Carribean Americans actually aren’t African American (despite most having African ancestry). Sounds confusing, right?
Let me put it this way. Would you call Naomi Campbell a African American? probably not, bc she isn’t American; she comes from a different culture…would you call a Afro-German an AA bc they touched US soil?? No, bc they are German…so why would you call West Indians, “African Americans” when our cultures are so substantially different?
If you lived in Jamaica for let’s say–two yrs (im assuming you’re black American) would you then tell everyone you are a Jamaican? No you would tell people you are in fact AA..Doesn’t mean you’re not black, it just means you Aren’t Jamaican…People, it’s not that difficult a Concept, really.
“I hear your point, but you also generalized a great deal. Carribean Americans actually aren’t African American (despite most having African ancestry). ”
It seems obvious that for any given person, they come with a mix of cultural background and exposure. Some people have family trees with their roots so deep in American history that they truly are African-American. Others though, they don’t, and that’s fine. Sometimes I wonder if black people in the US aren’t so focused on solidarity for political/social reasons that some people lose sight of the fact that they’re just as diverse a group as any other.
Culture and heritage are two different things. Sometimes they overlap, sometimes they don’t. It all adds up to people being very different within one group that really seems to be unified mainly by skin colour.
I wholeheartedly agree with her calling herself Jamaican. Whatever your culture at home is defines who you are. Of course, she has been influenced by American culture to a degree but her roots are Jamaican. She is American by convenience of birth.
Also, I think this also has to do with the sort of superiority Caribbean-Americans feel over African-Americans. They will do anything to try and distinguish themselves, as if there is something wrong with being African-American. Even if they aren’t that close to their Caribbean culture, and actually even closer to American culture. It just seems like another one of those cases…
African american is a specific ethnic group and based on my understanding refers to black people whose ancestors were slaves in the United States of America. I am not American nor do I live in America. I live and work in the Caribbean. However it always boggles my mind when Americans equate blackness with being African American. The two are not the same. All African American’s are black but not all Black people are African American’s. Also based on what Justine Skye said she grew up with both Jamaican parents and grand parents and she said she travels to her home country all the time.
Another point I would like to bring across is that just because two groups of people look the same don’t mean they are the same. People will gravitate to who they feel most comfortable around and who they can identify with. Its not about feeling superior or anything. I know for sure I don’t feel superior to anyone but in the same breath I don’t feel inferior to anyone. Also American culture is global and therefore there are a lot of persons who indulge in the culture right here in the Caribbean. Justine is American by birth of Caribbean descent. She is also black but she is not African American since like I said before to qualify to be an African American your ancestors would have had to been slaves in the USA.
I consider myself an “American-born” Nigerian, which people don’t always get. I’m a dual citizen of both countries, but my Nigerian and Igbo roots mean so much more to me. I don’t actually ever think of myself as being American until I travel abroad. I’ve suffered discrimination in America for being African, so triumphing over that and embracing my heritage and beauty in a very eurocentric environment is poignant for me. I live in America, so American culture is omnipresent. But my Nigerian and Igbo heritage are precious to me and they bind me to my family and to my people in a way that I will always cherish. Marrying someone within my culture is very important to me to keep the language and values alive. The conversation usually ends quickly when someone insinuates that I am “just this” or not “really this”. Those opinions are irrelevant and speak to something deeper within the person making the assessment. I’m not claiming to be all one thing culturally, I’m just saying the Nigerian and Igbo parts of my experience will always be more valuable to me than the American ones. My life, my choice.
I definitely agree with Justine’s perspective. I identify myself as haitian or Haitian-American. If your household is ran 100% Haitian, Jamaican, Domincan, Ghanaian, etc and the language of your parents homeland, the method of cooking, the social norms, etc, you have every right to identify your self with that culture. Think about the latino born kids who grow up having THICK accents yet they were born right here in the US of A. If they say, I’m American, you’re going to keep fishing for their cultural background. She is Jamaican (or Jamerican if you’re familiar, lol) who just benefits from “jus soli.”
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Totally agree im jamaican American too and always thought this.?????
I understand her point. Both of her parents are Jamaican. Therefore, she grew up with that perspective. She didn’t say one her parents is American, so she isn’t bi-cultural.
Still black
Hello!
Ya’ll do know claiming your ethnicity has nothing to do with denying that you’re black right? Its possible for me to be proud of my heritage while being aware that Im black. Why should people from the Caribbean or anywhere else lose their cultural identity simply bc Americans will “still see them as Black”…And? no one is saying Jamaicans, Haitians, Africans, etc aren’t black. Just like Americans love to rep their cities, I like to rep my country! When people rep Brooklyn…do you also yell. “You still Black?”.
Well, she never said she wasnt. She looks unambiguously black to me
One can be Jamaican and Black at the same time the two are not mutually exclusive
African Americans do not hold some patent on blackness
She never said she wasn’t. Thats the thing. You see, people tend to look at black American culture as a monolith, it is not. Black people come from all over the world, speak different languages, eat different foods…. being from the south, or being a descendant of black American slaves is NOT the only way to be black. Eating cornbread and collards is NOT the only way to be black… She is correcting people.
In Jamaica-we don’t “other,” ourselves, because most of us are black- we are the majority, unlike the US (which is also my home) and we look at non black Jamaicans as literally Jamaican–not Jamaican-Chinese, Jamaican-Indian, Jamaican-Irish..This doesn’t exist over there.
She eats Curry Goat, Rice and Peas, speaks patois, and is the child of immigrants. And thats okay. Much like other children of immigrants from all over the world. AND THATS OKAY!
Sorry, she’s othering. As mentioned, she launched her singing career here in America, where she was born, so it sounds disingenious to note that she identifies “only” as Jamaican (her ethnicity), but not her nationality (American). Which is puzzling since she’s clearly both. And another thing, her music is lacking in the Jamaican cultural influence that she’s so proud to be associated wit, so her need to identify as other, while doing the exact same r&b/pop/hiphop American songs that she was clearly influenced by, says this is a publicity stunt. I’m also from the caribbean, but I barely relate to it, it would be odd for me to do music from my home country, but yet don’t identify with it at all.
If her mother is Jamaican, then she is Jamaican. That’s our law. It’s now her choice to identify as Jamaican (or not) and she does. Her music has nothing to do with that. I grew up in Jamaica. My favourite music is rock/pop/soca. I’m not a fan of reggae/dancehall. That doesn’t make me less Jamaican.
As to the argument about Caribbean Americans feeling superior, it’s more a case of Caribbean Americans not seeing themselves as inferior. We don’t identify racially. We identify nationality. Probably because our racial makeup is so similar and our countries are so small. I have never been “African Jamaican” and I never will. I’m just Jamaican. I have no problem being black or negro or whatever else you want to call me, as long as you understand that the only thing I’m going to answer to is Jamaican.
I think that, because of their experience, African Americans misinterpret our national pride as a belief that we are somehow superior to them. But because of how I grew up and where I grew up, I can’t help but feel that African Americans are separating themselves from the general population with that label while complaining about their separateness from the general population. Africa is far removed from your existence. Yes, slavery is technically dead, but it still informs and influences your culture. So why ask people to see only what you once were? Tell them who you are – American and beautiful, American and strong, American and proud.
Saying you are an African American does not make one any less American neither is it “separating “anyone as USA was just as much ‘separated” when the term was black , coloured or negro , anyone who knows a scrap about American History , knows white folks dont really need a name to discriminate
With all due respect as a fellow Jamaican , you are doing exactly what you are criticizing others of doing that is not allowing people to identify as they see fit, it is not your place to tell African -Americans how to identify though our histories are similar there are distinct differences that you need to educate yourself on.
Firstly AA are very much American and love their country but sadly their dominantly White country has not always loved them back and has historically tried to refer to AA in a way, black , coloured , negro as if they were outsiders and not ” real ” American Citizens .The moniker AA came about as an attempt to remedy that & solidify AA place as American citizens whilst honoring their African ancestry.
Now not everybody agrees with the term but those who identify as such should be respected accordingly .
Now in the West indies , Blacks tend to be the majority and in most places saying you are Afro-Jamaican or Afro Bajan seems redundant as it goes without saying that you are black .Also that piece of the rock whatever it may be is OURS it belong to US and Nobody can tel us any different
it is UNHEARD of for any White Jamaican , Bajan or Trini (and we have quite a few ) to tell their black counterpart to ” Go Back to Africa ” as you know “taint gonna happen , yet here in the USA after 400 yrs you still have crazy white folks on that back to Africa BS..Heck Donald Trump the son of recent immigrants keeps referring to people who were here centuries before his family as ” the blacks ”
it is this disparity in our history why many AA have been socialized to identify by race first then Country whilst most West Indian are fiercely and passionately patriotic about their country of origin first (to an extent many AA dont understand) whilst being black is organic/a given
Uninformed even if well meaning criticisms like yours about AA right to self identify sadly only adds to the misunderstandings between us .
‘it is UNHEARD of for any White Jamaican , Bajan or Trini (and we have quite a few ) to tell their black counterpart to ” Go Back to Africa ” ‘ Not true. One of my Jamaican friends told me he was faced with this exact discrimination by a White Jamaican who told him that the only reason my friend was in Jamaica was because his white ancestors brought his ancestors there as slaves and he wasn’t simply giving him a history lesson. Let’s not pretend that The Caribbean was built on White Supremacy and it is still in effect. The economic structures were built by Europeans and to this day are in control of the politics along with the Chinese and Indians. Caribbean governments are constantly doing deals with foreigners in exchange for land and more control of the Islands and folks refuse to acknowledge this. Me personally, I reject those nationalities Europeans made up and forced upon us especially as they don’t have our best interest at heart.
Nowhere in my comment did i pretend that the Caribbean is some post racial Utopia and that we were never enslaved, colonized or subject to white supremacy . I acknowledged that we share similar history but also had some differences with the Black American experience .which is why we tend to self identify differently
In essence I was pointing out the fallacy of a Jamaican who on the one hand insists that Justine had the right to identify as Jamaican , yet on the other hand wants to admonish AA for identifying as African Americans which quite simply is not her place
Now White or almost white Jamaicans can be as rude racist and as ful of s h 1 t as anyone BUT Black people are the majority here , the country belongs to us and our right to be there and our citizenship is not challenged and questioned daily as happens often with blacks in the USA
With regards to your Jamaican friends experience that is the FIRST in MY life I am hearing of such a thing and frankly know of no self respecting Jamaican who would tolerate such nonsense in fact it is we are more inclined in an argument if anything to tell white folks to go back to Europe
My parents are from the Caribbean so I can relate to some of the sentiments on this subject. However, we may be the majority but trust me we are not running things the way we should be. We talk about our independence from the Colonisers but Jamaica at least still has a white queen as head of state and correct me if I’m wrong the education system, which was based on the European one anyway, refuses to include the education of Marcus Garvey in the curriculum. I love the Caribbean but it saddens me that a lot of our people are lost and can’t see the woods for the trees. There’s too much vested interest by foreigners, the Governments are giving away land left right and centre to people who do not have our best interest at heart. The economy at large is not owned or run by Black people but run by Europeans essentially and then Chinese and Indians. If these people decided to take all their investments out of the Caribbean it would leave us in a worse state that what we’re already in. I refuse to believe that because we are big in numbers that we are the ones controlling our resources, this is simply not true. I use to identify with Caribbean but I stopped when I educated myself on who gave us these labels in the first place and their involvement in our demise in my opinion this is giving the enemy too much power.
Hello!!!! Yet I see all these idiots posting that white yardie on they timeline meanwhile they will hide all their dark skin relatives kmt #fuckery and indoctrination
“If her mother is Jamaican, then she is Jamaican. That’s our law. It’s now her choice to identify as Jamaican (or not) and she does.”–That’s fine for Jamaica, but we’re speaking about the US, and the US that’s not how it works when it comes to your nationality. But she does indeed have a choice and how she chooses to identify.
“Her music has nothing to do with that. I grew up in Jamaica. My favourite music is rock/pop/soca. I’m not a fan of reggae/dancehall. That doesn’t make me less Jamaican.”–I didn’t say her music had anything to do with how she identifies, but it does bring into question her sincerety or the validity of CHOOSING to only identify as Jamaican, but not at all as American, even though she’s profiting from the culture she doesn’t identify with. Look, she can make whatever kind of music she wants, but logically her stance is highly questionable.
“Probably because our racial makeup is so similar and our countries are so small. I have never been “African Jamaican” and I never will. I’m just Jamaican. I have no problem being black or negro or whatever else you want to call me, as long as you understand that the only thing I’m going to answer to is Jamaican.”–African American is misnomer for black. It’s fine that you do not like the terminology and prefer negro or black, but that doesn’t change the fact that within our laws here, if you’re born in the Unites States then you are an American citizen. The issue isn’t even about race (African American), it’s nationality which is completely seperate. From reading this article here, she’s stating that Jamaican (the nationality of her parents) is what she sees herself as, but not American (the nationality she was born into), so this article has nothing to do with race.
“I think that, because of their experience, African Americans misinterpret our national pride as a belief that we are somehow superior to them. But because of how I grew up and where I grew up, I can’t help but feel that African Americans are separating themselves from the general population with that label while complaining about their separateness from the general population. Africa is far removed from your existence. “–Again African American is a misnomer for race, but where speaking about nationality–where you are born. It doesn’t matter the rational behind it, it still doesn’t make sense to align yourself with your parents nationality, but not your own nationality, all the while profiting from the culture of your born nationality. You say African American seperates themselves from the general population of this country, well in that case, Justine Skye is seperating herself ENTIRELY from her country altogether. She doesn’t want the American label at all, just the music and the money. In the context of the point you’re trying to make here, what’s she doing is actually worse. I’m not sure if you caught that, but how’s she’s choosing to identify nationaly is actually worse than identifying as African-American racially.
“Yes, slavery is technically dead, but it still informs and influences your culture. So why ask people to see only what you once were? Tell them who you are – American and beautiful, American and strong, American and proud.”–Again, we’re speaking of Justine Skye here and her stance to not identify as American at all, not just African American. And seeing as how you interpret the African part in African-American as a reminder of what we “once were”, explains perfectly why you take your stance. I’m not surprise at all by this, I’ve seen this level of shame with the label from other carribeans before, but on that note, I have nothing further.
There’s nothing further I can say to you on that note.
I agree with Justine identifying as Jamaican and was kinna with you until your last paragraphs, As a West Indian , I know that many of us identify with island of origin for patriotic reasons Not because we are ashamed of our African Heritage( The Afro-Caribbean ID may be used outside the region but at home is rarely used as the “Afro “is obvious or a given.)
You however seem to be on some New black patronizing BS and are clearly not very educated about world history or socially aware with these type of comments “Africa is far removed from your existence” ” So why ask people to see you as you ONCE were ” ???
WTF ? it is telling that you see your obviously African Heritage /blackness as something to be ashamed of or to distance oneself from . This disdain apparently extends to other black folk in the Diaspora I,e USA as well.
Furthermore you have the right to identify as Jamaican so where do you get off telling African Americans how they should identify??
How does being An African American make one less of an American than an Italian- American, Irish -American , Asian- American, Native American ?
Please do not patronize other people about thier culture/names if you dont understand it , go read a book and stop adding to the divide between us
Would you tell a white American that they should discount the fact that their ancestors were European.Their habits are not completely devoid of European ones and the majority of places in America were named after European people who decided that they’re status was above that of anyone else’s. The same in the Caribbean.
‘And another thing, her music is lacking in the Jamaican cultural influence that she’s so proud to be associated wit, so her need to identify as other, while doing the exact same r&b/pop/hiphop’….are you remotely aware of how many genres of music Jamaica/Jamaicans have created and/or influenced? Let’s see – hip hop, EDM, dubstep, grime to name a few. So this idea that she should stick to whatever ‘Jamaican cultural influence’ your refering to is irrelevant. And just because you don’t relate to the Caribbean doesn’t mean that applies to her. She clearly relates more to her Jamaican heritage than you relate to your Caribbean heritage.